Bal Harbour Shops Opens in 1965 with 30 Retailers in One Level Fashion Center
THE HISTORY OF BAL HARBOUR SHOPS
pre-opening brochure renderingIn 1965 when owner/developer Stanley Whitman opened the first exclusive high-fashion shopping center, on what had been the site of a World War II army barracks, retail experts scoffed at Bal Harbour Shops upscale store mix. At that time the norm was to mix essential service tenants such as grocery and hardware stores with retail. And with the advent of air conditioning sweeping the nation, enormous enclosed malls were being built at breakneck speed. Bucking this popular trend in shopping center development, Bal Harbour Shops was designed to celebrate the balmy beauty of South Florida. Ideally situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay in the affluent village of Bal Harbour, the lushly landscaped, open-air mall didn't look or feel like any other center in America.
From the beginning Bal Harbour Shops was successful largely due to Whitman's determination in persuading Neiman Marcus to open their first specialty department store outside its native Texas and in luring designer boutiques that previously could only be found along the Champs-Elysee in Paris 
pre-opening brochure rendering or New York's Fifth Avenue. Attracted by the immediate success of Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue became Bal Harbour's second anchor store in 1976.
Recognized as the forerunner of luxury shopping mall developers, with many "firsts" in the industry, Stanley Whitman was considered something of a maverick. He was the first developer in the country to charge for parking; to restrict illuminated signage on store fronts and to create a "green oasis" of tranquility within the shops walkways. Traditional centers planned for horizontal expansion, while Bal Harbour was planned for vertical growth with the addition of the second level of stores in 1982.
The coveted collection of stores Whitman assembled was unparalleled and quickly became the industry benchmark, generating the highest annual sales in the nation. Bal Harbour Shops was the first mall location for many famed merchants, such as Gucci, 
Three generations of Whitmans Cartier and Bulgari. Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, and Roger Vivier chose Bal Harbour as the site for their first ventures outside New York. In 2009 Lanvin opened their first store in the U.S. This "Shopping Hall of Fame"
is home to 100 world-class fashion and jewelry boutiques and flagship stores.
By today's mega mall size, Bal Harbour Shops 500,000 square foot al fresco shopping experience seems refreshingly intimate, though its economic impact rivals the super regionals. Bal Harbour was ranked the number one most productive shopping center in the U.S., based on average sales per square foot, according to Women's Wear Daily. In 2008 Bal Harbour broke a global industry record by exceeding $2,000 per square foot. During the economic fallout of 2009, the shops sales declined by 16.7%, faring better than most of the luxury section. 2010 marked a dramatic rebound as Bal Harbour Shops posted the best year in its 45 year history with annual average sales of $1,975 per square foot—the highest in the nation. For 2011 Bal Harbour Shops remains the top performer with sales trending at $2,306.
Though the opulence and style of Bal Harbour Shops was the embodiment of one man's dream, Stanley is fortunate to have his son Randy Whitman and grandson Matthew Whitman Lazenby who share his passion for this family owned and managed business.
